9 New Rums, Ryes, Bourbons & More

Tony Sachs / The Huffington Post

Ring Out The Old With 9 New Spirits: Rums, Ryes, Bourbons & More

This is the time of year when most folks go to their liquor stores in search of the tried-and-true. They're looking for the name brands that will impress whoever's unwrapping the gift-wrapped box under the tree or at the holiday party. But to that I say, BAH! Why be a sheep? There are a bunch of exciting new brands out there. They may not get the same oohs and aahs as the old favorites when they're unwrapped, but once the bottles have been opened and the contents sampled, they're sure to get a lot of "Wow," "Where'd you hear about this one?" and "Holy crap, this is good!" Here are a few of the best newly-released spirits out there, perfect for giving, receiving and of course drinking:

Ron Atlantico Platino Rum ($20)

White rums are generally used for mixing in cocktails, while their dark, aged brethren are better for sipping. There are a few exceptions to the rule -- white rums that taste just as glorious on the rocks or neat as they do in a daiquiri or a mojito -- and now it's time to make room for another. Atlantico Platino has none of the harsh, chemical flavors that define lesser white rums (hello, Bacardi!), and while it's smooth, it also packs a lot of flavor. The nose is quite light, sweet and mellow.

On the palate, it's very fruity, redolent of green apple, pineapple and other citrus fruits, with a nice, clean finish. It also makes for a delicious rum cocktail, but while I rarely employ white rums for sipping, I almost prefer this one on its own. Also worth trying is Atlantico's Private Cask, a beautifully sweet and rich aged dark rum.

*40 percent ABV, not aged.


Bombay Sapphire East ($23)

I'm not a huge fan of gins which are gussied up with ingredients that obscure the flavor that's supposed to be predominant -- juniper. I mean, isn't a gin that tastes like something other than juniper technically a flavored vodka? The whole trend goes back close to a quarter-century, when Bombay Sapphire was launched in 1987. It softened and muted the flavor of Bombay's traditional London Dry gin to appeal to vodka drinkers, and given its popularity, the gambit obviously worked. I also think it's a damn fine gin. It may be toned down, but you still know what you're drinking, unlike some other pseudo-gins.

Bombay Sapphire East adds Thai lemongrass and Vietnamese black peppercorns to the 10 botanicals traditionally used in Bombay Sapphire. Thankfully, while the difference is noticeable, it's not too dramatic -- you can taste the added ingredients, but the gin underneath is still recognizable. It makes for a very fine gin & tonic, and an interesting, slightly odd martini that, as a friend of mine said, "tastes like Thai takeout in a glass -- but I mean that in a good way."

*42 percent ABV, not aged.


Drambuie 15 Liqueur ($56)

Drambuie is a classic -- a whisky liqueur that's got as much alcohol as many standard whiskies, made with Scotch, honey and herbs. I think it's delicious. But with Drambuie 15, the Drambuie dudes have decided to take their classic alchemy to the next level by using higher-quality Scotch, namely 15-year-old Speyside malts. The difference is as plain to the palate as the darker color is to the eye.

Where the emphasis in standard Drambuie is as much on the honey and herbs as the whisky, Drambuie 15 is all about the Scotch, with the sweet and herbaceous flavors now playing a decidedly supporting role. This is superb neat or on the rocks, and will satisfy your sweet tooth without putting you in a post-prandial sugar coma.

*43 percent ABV, aged 15 years.


High West OMG Rye ($37)

Straight out of Utah, this saloon/distillery keeps coming up with all sorts of interesting new booze. High West's latest creation maintains their standard of excellence. OMG Rye doesn't stand for "Oh my God," but "Old Monongahela," the river near where Pennsylvania rye was distilled in the 1800s. This whiskey is made in 19th century style, using 80 percent rye and 20 percent malted rye. It's designed, the High West folks say, to be barrel-aged by the customer or drunk neat.

Since I don't have a barrel handy, guess which one I chose? I'm not crazy about un-aged whiskeys, trendiness notwithstanding. But this is one of the best "white dogs" I've tried. It's sweeter than aged ryes, with green apple notes predominating. The malted rye gives a passing nod to Scotch whisky, and the malt lingers on the tongue post-swallow. At close to 100 proof, OMG is powerful stuff, but you don't feel the alcoholic burn in your throat. Rather, the heat spreads through your chest, along with a general sense of well-being that a good whiskey can impart.

*49.3 percent ABV, not aged.


Jim Bean Red Stag Honey Tea Bourbon & Spiced Bourbon ($18)

I've never been a fan of flavored bourbon, because really, how can you improve on bourbon's natural flavor? But a few years ago, the folks at Jim Beam saw a void, and they filled it with Red Stag cherry flavored bourbon. I thought it tasted more like cough syrup than whiskey, so I wasn't too enthused when I received Red Stag's two new expressions in the mail. Sure enough, when I first tried them, I was put off by their sweetness. "These are almost like liqueurs compared to unadulterated bourbon," I thought. That's when I figured, why not taste them as if they're liqueurs? And as such, they're pretty damn good.

The Honey Tea is a nice combination of sweet, tangy honey with dry, slightly bitter tea, while Spiced has a nice cinnamon edge to it. And of course the bourbon underneath the new flavorings is pretty swell, too. Now, l must point out that these are NOT liqueurs, but standard 80-proof bourbons with added flavors. Still, I would recommend the Red Stag line to fans of liqueurs and/or sweet cocktails more than hardcore whiskey drinkers.

*40 pecent ABV, age not stated.


Plantation 1998 Guadeloupe Single Cask Rum ($65)

Plantation's mission is to find the best rums from all over the Caribbean and Latin America, and bottle them not only by country but also by vintage. It's a great way to learn how much terroir and the distillation process affects the final product. Plantation's eighth bottling is from Guadeloupe, aged for 11 years in French oak casks, and then for an additional year in used Cognac casks. Technically, it's a rhum agricole, meaning it's distilled using pure cane juice instead of molasses, although it's not officially labeled as such.

Rhums agricole tends to be a little lighter than molasses-based rums, with stronger vanilla notes, and this is no exception. The nose is gorgeous, with lots of honey, pineapple and honeydew notes. Drunk neat, it's initially on the dry side, but then it opens up into a beautiful vanilla/caramel sweetness. It's got an alcoholic tingle which I find slightly harsh, but a couple of drops of water tamp down the fire and bring out rich honey and cocoa flavors. That little bit of water makes all the difference, transforming a very good rum into a great rum. Only 600 bottles are being made available in the U.S. market, so get it while you can.

* 42 percent ABV, aged 12 years.


Suntory Hakushu 12-Year-Old Single Malt Whisky ($75)

I'm going to say up front that I don't know a whole lot about Japanese whisky. But I do like Scotch, and Suntory makes good... well, it's not Scotch whisky, obviously, because it's distilled in Japan, but you know what I mean. 12-year-old Hakushu, Suntory's latest expression, has been around for a few years in Japan and Europe, and it's finally being launched in the States. It's got a grassy, malty nose with traces of smoke.

It's lighter than most Scotches, but the flavor profile is similar -- buttery, with dry cereal notes and just a hint of peat and smoke. A few drops of water bring out a little dark fruity sweetness and some peppery spice. I'd recommend Hakushu as an aperitif, when the palate is still fresh and able to notice the subtleties of this lovely, delicate whisky.

*43 percent ABV, aged 12 years.


Woodford Reserve Masters Collection Rare Rye Whiskey ($99.99)

Each year for the last several years, Woodford Reserve has put out a limited edition bourbon which tinkers with one of the what they call "the five sources" of flavor -- grain, water, fermentation, distillation and wood-aging. This year, they really threw the rule book out the window by deciding to make their Masters Collection bourbon a rye. Rye is found, in greater or lesser amounts, in most bourbons (by definition, a bourbon's mashbill has to be at least 51 percent corn), including Woodford Reserve. So Rare Rye simply takes things to the next level by using 100 percent rye. In an even more unorthodox move, they've aged it two ways -- half in new American oak casks, and half in previously used casks (the Woodford folks have declined to say how long they're aged) -- and they're being sold together in two half-sized (375 ml) bottles.

The result is a lesson on how wood affects a whiskey, and it's a delicious lesson indeed. The new cask rye is a dark, rich and full of cinnamon and peppery spice. It's very full and round to start, but as it slides toward the throat it gets a little sharper and the whiskey's high alcohol content becomes a little more obvious. It's a flavorful, lively rye that may not be for novices, but if you're an adventurous novice, it's worth building up to.

The old cask rye, as can be inspected, is a lighter color -- like a pale straw -- and the flavor is more subtle and less bold. It's sweeter up front, with a lot of vanilla coming through. While it's got the characteristic rye spiciness on the finish, it's somewhat softer, unfolding rather than attacking. On the whole, it's more refined than the new cask rye. It's amazing, after tasting the new cask and old cask back-to-back, to think that it's the exact same whiskey, just aged in different barrels. Truly education in its highest form. Like all of Woodford's Masters Collection whiskeys, supplies are limited, so get it at your local liquor store before you have to pay inflated prices on eBay.

*46.2 percent ABV, age not stated.

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